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Does Vermiculite contain Asbestos???

sebring Feb 25, 2004 03:42 PM

and if so can't that do major harm to a uro.
let me know what you guys think.

chris

Replies (4)

kriminaal Feb 25, 2004 05:02 PM

I've heard the same thing.But I figure if it was in any way hazardous there would be strict regulations against selling it.I believe that in "olden days" a type of vermiculite was mined and used for insulation in houses.it must be a different form

shelley7950 Feb 26, 2004 08:51 AM

Vermiculite, at least the stuff that's used in gardening, consists of mica, which is an inert mineral that forms in lots of very, very thin layers...when vermiculite is moistened, water is trapped between the thin layers and held there, so it's useful for increasing the soil's ability to retain water without affecting the ph levels or the chemical makeup of the soil...

I've never heard that it contains asbestos, unless there's another form of vermiculite that I'm not aware of...

SR

pgross8245 Feb 26, 2004 06:44 PM

Since vermiculite is one of the egg incubating mediums as well as being used to make a good dirt for reptiles I would not think it would contain asbestos. I order mine from a reptile supplier in bulk, so I don't know if it is any different than what you might buy at a lawn and garden center. Perhaps Robyn from Proexotics can shed some light on this???

Pam

robyn@ProExotics Feb 27, 2004 10:32 AM

i have heard this speculation before, but i have never seen any significant detail to it, and it doesn't make a lot of sense, so i don't believe it is true. there are lots of different products out there, perhaps it was referring to something long since passed...
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robyn@proexotics.com

Pro Exotics Reptiles

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